


Good Luck

by Snakehead



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Carl is an embarrassing dad and we all know it, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, HEY GUYS CONNOR IS FEELING STUFF LOOK, Hank is trying his best to be a good dad, Humor, I took that idea and RAN with it, M/M, Markus is the most patient man in the world on god, Markus is the piano man, Markus really decided to do some worldbuilding in his own brain huh, Oops the side plot is getting more attention from me than the main plot, Slow Burn, Synesthesia, Yall remember how Connor said he doesn't listen to music the way humans do, connor accidentally friendzones someone after calling them his boyfriend a month or so prior, is hank a wingman at this point, oof, platonic partners
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2020-01-29
Packaged: 2020-05-15 09:09:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19292659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snakehead/pseuds/Snakehead
Summary: Two months after the android revolution, Markus is taking Connor to learn more about himself and these new emotions. The emotional growth however, might need to be sparked a few times.





	1. An Invitation

It had been exactly two months since the revolution had ended, and there were 3 inches of snow outside of Hank's house, more to come in a few hours.  
Connor still had some learning to do when it came to his deviation, and while Hank had left his home open to him, the android spent more time walking outside with Sumo than anything. Even though Markus was certainly busy negotiating with the humans and handling all the new deviants, he still insisted on checking up on Connor and speaking to Hank weekly.  
It was around the time he normally came and Connor was absently staring out the window when Hank sat down in front of the TV.  
“Missing your boyfriend Connor?”  
It seemed to be in jest, but the android's LED quickly shifted yellow and he didn't reply. Hank's eyes widened a little and he glanced over at him.  
“Wait is he really your boyfriend? When'd this happen?”  
“Well we're both male, and I believe we're friends, so that would make him my boyfriend, correct?”  
The man made a face and seemed to be trying to find the right thing to say.  
“Connor, that's not- uh. Wait, by that logic I'm your boyfriend too!”  
“Is that an issue?”  
“A boyfriend is a guy you wanna fuck, Connor!”

There was a moment of silent processing before his LED blinked red for a moment.  
“Oh. I see the issue with boyfriends now.”  
“Geez kid… woulda thought deviating would make you a bit more knowledgeable about this stuff.”  
“Apologies, Hank.”  
“I've never really seen you interested in anyone before though Connor. Do you even know what it means to have romantic interest?”  
The android seemed to be in thought for a bit as he closed his eyes.  
“I'm not sure Hank.”  
His LED transferred back to the electric blue it normally was as the man ran a hand through his hair, frowning slightly.  
“Alright son, let's put this conversation off for another day alright? Can't believe your programming doesn't have that kind of thing already explained.”  
“Son? Am I your son, Hank?”  
“Well- I mean- I _guess_.”  
“Should I call you dad then?”  
“I guess… if you want.”

Connor's mouth upturned slightly while Hank rolled his eyes and sighed, both looking up when someone knocked on the door. Sumo's head shot up and he wagged his tail eagerly, barking a few times.  
“Hush up ya big lug! Connor that's probably Markus, could you get the door?”  
“Of course lieutenant.”  
Connor went over to open the door and his eyes widened a little at the other android standing before him.  
No matter how many times he saw him, Connor was always a little surprised by just how gracefully the man carried himself. His coat was wrapped loosely around his shoulders, and his eyes seemed to brighten a little when he smiled at Connor.  
“It's good to see you again.”  
“Right… you too, Markus.”  
The darker android gave him a quick once over before smiling again; Connor's LED had become yellow without him noticing.  
“Have you been keeping up with everything? Maintenance, and such? It'd be awful for you to suddenly fall ill.”  
“I... well-”  
“Are you done being awkward kid? How about letting him in?” Hank called from inside, and Connor’s LED slowly slipped back to blue.  
“I'll get right on it dad.”

“Dad?”  
Back to yellow it went as he faced Markus again, somewhat... Embarrassed.  
“Yes… dad.”  
Markus watched him fluster and laughed gently.  
“Well I'm glad I'm not the only android with a human father then.”  
Connor's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before letting Markus inside, the Saint Bernard quickly bounding over to see him.  
“Hey there Sumo… have you been holding down the fort?”  
The dog barked eagerly as Connor shut the door and looked over at the only human in the house.  
“It seems Sumo missed you, Markus.”  
“Nah, he just likes the attention.”  
“Well regardless of Sumo's intentions, I'm here for a reason besides an update.”  
Both android and human looked over curiously at the revolutionary, who's gaze had moved to Connor.  
“Connor, I'd like to invite you to join me as a representative at the civil conference in two weeks: you offer a very unique perspective as a former deviant hunter, and I'm well aware of the fact that a good number of the humans on the committee are skeptical. Your presence there, along with your experience on both sides has a strong potential to change minds.”

The newer deviant's LED had just started to return to blue before Markus spoke, and by the time he'd finished it has blinked red for a few seconds before settling on bright yellow once again. It seemed it would be remaining that color for as long as Markus was around.  
“Are you sure you'd need me, specifically? I'm sure there are other former hunters-”  
“Ignore him, he's got anxiety. He'd love to go, Markus.”  
“Please don't speak for me, Hank…”  
“Oh, come on! You're always outside but you're never around people, it could be fun. ‘Sides, you wanna help Markus right? This is probably the best help you can give him.”  
He quietly looked back over at the other RK model, who smiled encouragingly at him. It took a moment, but his LED returned to blue as he cleared his throat.  
“I suppose I could come, then.”  
“Thank you, Connor. I really appreciate it.”  
“Alright, anything else you need to say Markus? Or should we pick up where we left off last time?”  
“Oh.. I'm sorry, but I'll have to pass this time: I'm pretty busy today.”  
“Ah… I see.”  
“What, did you actually wanna join in this time Connor?”  
“Perhaps.”  
“Do you even know how to play cards?”  
“... I do not, lieutenant.”  
“Well then why don't I teach you next week? Then we can all play.”  
Markus smiled at him again; it was a nice expression for him.

“I'd enjoy that, Markus.”  
“Then it's a date. I'll see the both of you next week, usual time?”  
“As always.”  
“Alright. Thanks for agreeing to help, Connor; bye Sumo.”  
With that the older android gave one more gentle smile before heading through the front door as the RK800 watched wordlessly.  
He'd been about to turn back to face Hank, but was interrupted by a mission flashing across his gaze: **Speak to Markus.**  
Speak to Markus? Why? About what? If he needed to say something why did he wait? That seemed wrong.  
“Are you gonna stand there gaping all day Connor-”  
“I'll be back in a moment, lieutenant.”  
With that he walked swiftly out of the house, moving with intense purpose until he caught up to Markus.  
“Connor? Was there something you needed?”  
Now that the mission had disappeared he was left standing there confused. Why did he feel the need to catch up to him? What did he want to say? Fortunately, the words came to him without thinking;  
“I just wanted to say good luck. I assume you're going off to complete your more important duties as the leader of Jericho, so good luck.”  
That was strange. He'd never told some ‘good luck’ before in his life. Markus however, seemed amused as he flashed another charming smile. 

“Well, thank you Connor. But you could've told me before I left, right? I'm sure Hank's confused about why you ran after me.”  
Connor's LED flickered yellow before quickly returning to blue as he watched him.  
“Well I'll be sure to explain to him what happened, then.”  
“Alright. But seriously, just tell me before I leave next time, okay Connor?”  
“I'll do my best, Markus.”  
The revolutionary laughed as he pat Connor's shoulder a few times before turning to continue walking off. The younger RK model watched him until he was a dark speck against the snow before finally heading back inside to a confused Hank and oblivious Sumo.  
“So why exactly did you run off like that son?” The man asked as he started brushing off the snow that had collected on Connor while he was outside.  
“I wanted to tell him good luck.”  
“Anything else?”  
“Not really. I honestly don't know why I did it in the first place honestly.”  
“Geez…. You're such a weird kid Connor.”  
“Apologies lieutenant.”


	2. The Speech

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The speech... Doesn't go quite as planned.

It seemed like two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and Connor now stood in front of the conference building, shifting his weight around restlessly as Hank fixed his hair and straightened his tie.  
“Lieutenant, I'm sure they won't notice a slight-”  
“Oh c'mon, you heard what Markus said, didn't you? Most of these pretentious fucks are skeptical; they're probably looking for anything they can to call you out on.”  
“They'll most likely be more upset if I'm late, Hank.”  
“It'll be fine, son; let ‘em talk to me if they're upset about you being late.”  
“Then wouldn't that same logic also apply to whether my hair is messy?”  
The man was quiet for a moment before he shrugged and backed off.  
“Fair enough. Knock ‘em dead, Connor.”  
“I'd rather not kill anyone-”  
“Figure of speech, kid.”  
“Oh. I see.”  
With that the RK800 turned to walk into the building, a confident and steady stride disfigured only by his consistently bright yellow LED.

 

~

The android entered the room along with a few stragglers, eyes lighting up a little when he saw Markus. Once the older model noticed him he smiled that charming smile of his before gesturing towards the seat next to him, a seat Connor quietly took just as the last humans settled in.  
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen… and other.”  
The human dignitary made a pointed glance towards Markus and Connor, and while the younger model felt uncomfortable because of it, Markus didn't seem visibly affected by it as the woman continued. Connor opened an internal channel to the other android. 

 _“Are you alright, Markus? I’m unsure of how people can say things like that and mean it.”_  
_“Yes, I am, don't worry about me. But we should stop; it's rude to do this while the humans are talking.”_

Connor tuned in just as the woman introduced him as a spokesman at Markus’ request, and the android stiffened before quickly standing up.  
"Good morning, everyone. My name is Connor, I'm the android sent by c-"  
He paused and his LED blinked yellow for a moment; it was a verbal habit he needed to break.  
"Well, today I'm the android sent by Markus. It's nice to meet you all."  
There were a few soft chuckles from the humans that he didn't understand. Why were they laughing? What had been funny? Regardless, there was a more pressing issue he was facing: he had not fully prepared a speech.  
“The RK800 model was only a few months old when the revolution began, and I was sent to the Detroit Police Department to aid in finding the source of the growing amount of deviants, and eliminating whatever it was. However, before I was sent there, I was…”  
The android had launched into a full retelling of the events that had brought him there, not leaving out even the smallest details. This hadn't been what he had planned to say. Why was he saying this instead? It was a phenomenon he'd have to look into more later.

 

~

“... Markus had succeeded in winning over the human's support, and I had awakened a huge mass of our people.” He finally drew to a close after what seemed like hours, although the newer model had no memory of what he had said. Connor took his seat as his LED returned to an electric blue, glancing over at Markus with the expectation of disappointment, or even frustration. However, the other android gave him a gentle smile before turning back to the humans, who had taken to confused murmuring.  
“What is this supposed to mean? It didn't actually explain anything, it just filled time.” A middle-aged man spoke out, and soon more of the humans followed with similar questions, their voices overlapping. The sound was beginning to overwhelm the RK800, and his LED started rapidly fluctuating between red and yellow as he continuously tapped on his leg, otherwise motionless. However once Markus’ voice stood out trying to explain what the newer model had meant, Connor quietly retreated into himself.

 

Finally, there was quiet. A replica of the garden Amanda once occupied was there, as the real one had been destroyed; at least, his was.  
So he sat at the foot of the water and watched a small school of fish lazily pass by, light from an unseen sun reflecting off their scales. It had been a long time since the android had come to the garden, an even longer time since Amanda had still been there. Instead of staying in one spot like he normally did, Connor rose to his feet and followed curiously after the fish, watching for the glint of their scales.  
He was taken under a bridge and through a small orchard, ducking and weaving through branches filled with ripe fruit, past a field of flowers and to a lake with a smooth stone path straight through to the other side; he'd come this far, why not see this as well? And so he gingerly stepped onto the first grey stone, steadily making his way across the lake.

Once he was almost halfway across there was a miscalculation on his part; an underestimation of how slick the next step was as he stumbled, slipping sideways off the rock and bracing himself for the chill of the water.  
That is, until the impact never arrived. Instead, there was a hand grabbing his and pulling him back up onto the stone. Before him was an unmoving yet constantly flickering being, incredibly familiar as it greeted him with a gentle smile.  
_“Connor.”_

 

“Connor?”  
The android opened his eyes to see Markus standing above him with a hand on his shoulder, clearly concerned. The room was empty now save for those two. Had he really left for the entire meeting? His LED returned to blue and he settled his gaze on the older model.  
“I apologize; I tend to retreat inwards during situations like that.”  
“When too many people are talking at once? Or was it too much noise?”  
“I believe it was the noise, I apologize again.”  
With that he stood, fully prepared to leave and prevent the android anymore embarrassment, until Markus shook his head and smiled.  
“No, no it's fine, Connor. You did your best. That's the main thing.” A pat on the shoulder before the older model removed his hand.  
“I see. Thank you, Markus.”  
“Anytime. Is Hank coming to get you, or are you making your own way back?”  
“He said that he would come get me, but never specified a time.”  
“I see. He probably intended to watch the coverage of it, then pick you up once they finished.”  
“Coverage? There were reporters, then?”  
“Yes, there were. You didn't know?”  
“I did not. I suppose it's too late to say anything against it, though.”

Markus smiled a little before glancing over at the doors.  
“Do you mind if I wait for Hank with you?”  
“No, not at all. I dearly enjoy your company, actually.”   
“Really? I'm glad; I enjoy your company too, Connor.”  
He felt a strange sensation of his face flushing as he left the building with Markus and waited for Hank, watching humans and androids alike walk past.  
“Markus? May I ask you something?”  
“Of course. What is it?”  
“My ‘speech’... It didn't help at all, did it?”  
“Ah…”  
He watched as Markus shifted his weight around slightly, and his LED started to spin yellow. Of course it hadn't. The older model was probably just trying to find a kinder way to say just that.  
“No… no, it didn't help.”  
His expression remained neutral, but something in him felt ashamed before Markus smiled gently.  
“Not in the conventional way, at least. In your journey you've met many of our people, all of them with different stories, different ways they lived with their deviance. Even just your brief interactions with them showed a world of mistreatment, a sign that like humans, we can feel, we can love, and just like them, we deserve to be equal.”

Connor's eyes widened slightly in amazement at what the other said, his LED returning to blue as loud, extremely energetic music could be heard from an approaching car. He turned around to see Hank stepping out with an almost apologetic expression.  
“Hey, son. I, uh. I saw what happened. You did great, don't worry about it okay?”  
Another hand on his shoulder, this time from Hank. This time it felt different. This time, the android's LED became red as tears began to freely fall from his eyes. What had caused this? He'd never cried before; it was an odd sensation, and clearly unexpected from the silent shock and surprise on Hank's face.  
“Connor, uh- it's alright y'know? It's okay to fail sometimes. Well, I mean, you didn't this time, but-... Shit, sorry. I just didn't really think you even _could_ cry, kid.”  
“Apologies, lieutenant. I… wasn't aware, either.”  
“Is everything alright, Connor?”  
“I'm fine. Yes, I'm fine. I'm…”  
More tears began to fall as the RK800 shivered, a strange desire to sob building in him; he quickly shoved down the idea. Why was he crying? What was this feeling of guilt?  
Then suddenly, it clicked.  
“I made a mistake. In front of so many important people… it was an embarrassment.”  
“Connor, it's alright. I already told you-”  
“I appreciate that you're trying to lessen the blow, Markus, but I heard what the humans were saying.”  
“Connor-”  
“Lieutenant, could we please leave? I'm afraid I don't have a handle on these emotions yet.”

The older human frowned lightly as tears continued to freely spill from Connor's otherwise vacant eyes, then turned to the RK200.  
“Sorry about all this Markus. Feel free to come around anytime, though.”  
“It's alright, I understand. I hope you're okay, Connor.”  
The older model reached to place his hand on the other's shoulder, but Connor stepped back.

“Thank you Markus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working title "Connor be like *windows shut down noise*"


	3. The Reef

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Markus does a bit of world building, and Hank sits Connor down to have a quick heart to heart.

    It was January. The day after the incident of the civil conference. Markus felt horrible, having left Connor to cope with an experience like crying for the first time on his own. He was lucky to have had people around him his first time, people who could understand. In that moment all he'd seen in the newer deviant was confusion and even fear, but Connor seemed partial to bearing the burden alone. The firm refusal startled him, to say the least. 

    "-kus? You listening?"

Fingers snapping in front of him. A slightly annoyed North. Ah, right; he'd been in the middle of a meeting.

"Hm? O-oh, no, sorry. My mind was on other things."

"Markus, right now we need a leader, not a dreamer. Keep your head in the present and think about whatever it is later."

"Right. Won't happen again."

 

    She smiled, and lightly nudged him.

"Come _on_ , man; just focus on one thing at a time. You'll drive yourself crazy trying to do otherwise." 

"Yeah, I know. Thanks North." 

"Yup. Anyway, what I was saying about defences…"

    He knew he needed to be paying attention to this, it was important. Yet as soon as the opportunity arose, Markus' mind was venturing ever back to Connor. Had he really felt alright after his inward retreat? Was there any way for him to help if the android was like that again? Was it dangerous at all?

    Did he have a retreat like that? 

It was worth investigating, even if now wasn't the best time. Best to strike while the iron is hot, right? How did Connor look when he retreated? His LED went red, and he took a deep breath, that was it.

    Worth a shot. 

Markus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on a safe mind space as well as he could. 

 

    When he opened his eyes again, the world was empty; nothing but black space around him.

Well that couldn't be right. How could someone feel safe in an area like this? It just wouldn't do. Focusing inwards, Markus tried to imagine a space he would feel comfortable in, or even relaxed. 

     _Carl's studio_. 

White walls and huge windows gave the room a feeling of safety for him. If it didn't smell of paint, it smelled of Carl. A piece of a home he longed to return to. 

    Well. It was an obvious place to start, but the cluttered room felt empty without the man actually there. He'd take some aspects of it to the next place. 

 

    What he had not been expecting was to be surrounded by paint supplies in a coral reef. Shallow enough that the sun was still bright enough underwater for him to see, and the coral was _alive_. He'd only heard of coral reefs in books and reference data, they'd all died long ago. The colors around him felt so _surreal_ , even exaggerated by his mind. Fish even peeked through to get a better look at this new being in their reef. 

    It was beautiful. 

He didn't have to swim in this place, it was as if he was floating effortlessly.

 

    It was while he was exploring this place that he saw the shadow of a rock skip across the water once, twice, three times before sinking in front of him. Who was that? He effortlessly glided upwards, closer and closer to the surface as more stones were tossed, none making it past the second skip again. When he broke the surface, he was greeted by a figure that while unmoving, was certainly not still. 

    _"Who are you?"_ Its voice was multilayered, as if it was coming from countless different people all around them but directly in front of him as well. Underneath that blur, it had something familiar to it, but Markus couldn't place it. 

    "I could ask you the same."

_"My name is-"_ The voice - if you could call it such - suddenly gave rise to a cacophony of sound; varied enough that it drowned out its name, yet it seemed unaware that such had happened.

"Well, I'm Markus. It's a pleasure to meet you."

    Its gaze lingered on him before the corners of its mouth upturned slightly, just like-

 

 

    "Connor? You in there?" 

The android looked up suddenly at the sound of Hank's voice, his LED spinning yellow for a few moments longer before settling on blue again. 

"What is it?" 

"Just wondering if you're really okay kid. You haven't left your room all day y'know?" 

"Would you like me to come out?"

"Do you  _wanna_ come out?" 

    Connor was silent as he contemplated for a moment.

"I'd… Rather not."

"Then how about I come in? That work?" 

"That's fine, Hank."

 

    After a moment, Hank quietly opened the door and stepped in with Sumo trudging along behind him. He looked around a bit at the room before sitting down next to the android on the bed. 

    "Alright kid, if you only take one thing from what I'm about to say, let it be that crying is normal, alright? Don't care who you talk to, or what they say, crying is normal, and healthy."

"Why don't I ever see you cry then, Lieutenant?" 

The man was silent for a bit before he had an answer.

"Well… I do my crying on the inside. I've tried doing it on the outside before, but I just… Can't." 

"That seems unfortunate."

    "It is. That's why I want you to know that it's okay to cry; so that you don't wind up like me."

 

Connor took some time to process this before looking over at Hank. 

"I think that there have been times before when I cried on the inside."

"Really? Like when?" 

"On the rooftop of the broadcasting station. Death was… Terrifying."

"Weren't you still a hunter at that point? Thought you guys couldn't feel anything before deviating."

He frowned a bit as he thought on it. 

"... We shouldn't have been able to. Perhaps I was different? Maybe I'd already deviated somehow?" 

"Maybe you're defective?" 

Connor quickly turned to face him, wide-eyed and with a red LED. 

"Wait, wait! Didn't mean it, Connor... Honestly, that thing reveals more about your emotions than your face ever does."

"Then perhaps I should remove it, so I'd be forced to express more?" 

"Nah, don't worry about it kid. If you wanna remove it that's fine, but you should really only do it if you wanna do it for yourself."

"I see. Thank you for the advice, dad."

"Course kid."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working title: "Markus now isn't the time to astral project"


	4. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of their last meeting, Markus puts a plan into action to reconnect the two androids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How dare you try to tell me I can't write a Valentine's day special chapter in the middle of August

February 14th. A relatively chilly day; Connor realized it was a celebrated day amongst the humans, but Hank seemed to not be taking part. Was it a religious choice? They _were_ celebrating Saint Valentin after all.   
“Dad?”  
“What is it, Connor?”  
“Today is a holiday with my observations. Are you choosing not to participate?”  
“What, Valentine's? Yeah, I'm one a’ those people who think this is a holiday for you kids to enjoy.”  
“I see.”  
“Speaking of you kids, have you spoken to Markus at all since then?”  
“Not at all, lieutenant.”  
“Ugh… you've been sulking since you cried, and you even went so far as to hide in your room the last two times he's come over.”  
“I haven't been sulking.”  
“Fine then. You've been _moping_. Or would you prefer ‘acting like a kicked puppy’? Or maybe ‘looking out the window all the time and sighing dramatically’ would suit you better? Face it, Connor, you've been acting miserable and pouting about this for weeks.”  
The RK800 opened his mouth to object but seemed to realize that it was futile, and quietly shut it.   
“Now Markus spoke to me a few days ago about taking you out somewhere today, and you're going, so put on something nice.”

Connor’s LED blinked red for a second before becoming yellow, and he stared at Hank for a moment.   
“I don't believe I heard you properly lieutenant. What did you say?”  
“You heard me: Markus is taking you on a date. Get dressed.”  
“In what exactly, lieutenant?”  
“Ah, just… something nice, kid! You can grab something out of my closet if you have to!”  
“But you're a good bit taller than me, Hank; most if not all of your clothes would be too big.”  
“Then I'd suggest you take a good hard look through your clothes.”  
Hank seemed upset, and while Connor was incredibly curious, he decided against asking and instead left to his room to find something suitable. Was this why they'd went clothes shopping the other day? How curious.  
He eventually pulled out a white button-up shirt and a pair of dark jeans, returning to the living room once he was dressed.   
“Your hair's a mess… How do you always manage to mess up your hair Connor?”  
“Apologies, lieutenant; I'm not sure.”  
“Geez… you're such a weird kid. I wonder what Markus sees in you.”

Connor flinched slightly, and his LED was yellow as he frowned just a bit.   
“I wish I knew as well, lieutenant.”  
“Hey, no, nope, you're not pulling that self-doubt shit kid, I hate myself enough for the both of us.”  
“Dad, that's concern-”  
“Anyway, you look great Connor; I'm rooting for you on this one.”  
“Rooting for me? How so?”  
The man chuckled a bit before placing a hand on the android's shoulder.   
“You'll find out eventually, Con.”  
The android stared at him curiously for a moment before shrugging it off as his LED shifted back to a neon blue, Sumo lumbering over excitedly to investigate the new clothing.   
“So when is Markus supposed to be here?”  
“He said he'd aim for about 10.”  
“10… it's 9:25."  
"Yeah, uh. I might've had you get ready a bit earlier than you needed to; thought you'd take longer."  
"How come?"  
"Well y'know, humans normally take showers and stuff before changing into new clothes."  
"I see. How long do they shower for?"   
"Varies from person to person. Mine are about 10 minutes."  
"Ah. I'll be sure to take a shower next time, then."  
The man simply shrugged, and Connor sat on the couch to wait for Markus. 

 

Markus arrived with five minutes to spare, his face noticeably lighting up when he saw Connor. How strange, what could be the cause of that?   
"Wow, you actually clean up pretty nicely Markus; I'm surprised!"   
"Do I? I never really noticed."  
"Yes. This might not be the best phrasing, but it seems you draw grace from whatever you wear, Markus."  
The older model's eyes widened slightly and a soft tint of blue could be faintly made out on his cheeks before he smiled earnestly, Connor curiously watching his expression as he tried to understand what exactly he'd said had caused such a response.   
"Connor, y'know, I had to coax him outta his suit for a while once he came back, though it's not like it's much different now; he just ditched the jacket and put on some jeans."  
"Well I like it, personally; semi-formal suits him."  
"I don't see it. Anyway, you two got a date to go on right? So git."  
"Of course. Thank you, Hank; is there any time specifically you'd like us back by?"  
"I'd say have him back before midnight; go wild you two."  
Connor turned just in time to see Markus flinch ever so slightly, a reaction that seemed unbefitting of him.   
"Midnight, then… I see. Well, shall we Connor?"  
The newer model nodded slightly and rose to his feet, a little confused by the smug grin that found its way onto Hank's face as he and Markus left the house. 

The RK800 decided he would chalk it up to remembering an old joke; something he had seen reduce the man to a snickering mess, one that was often laughing too much to get in a word of explanation.  
So the two androids walked in comfortable silence, Connor noting that Markus' fingers seemed to frequently brush against his own. He didn't mind, but a standard scan revealed that the older model's stress levels seemed to jump up a bit every time their fingers touched.  
"Markus, would you prefer it if we walked farther apart?"  
"Hmm? I don't mind regardless, Connor. Why?"  
"Because it appears that your stress levels rise exponentially when our hands touch."  
The other android's cheeks seemed to tint blue at this. How perplexing.   
"Well, I really don't mind, Connor. Could it possibly be a glitch in your system?"  
"A glitch...?"  
His LED spun yellow as he considered it. Suddenly, Markus changed the subject, and for the moment, Connor tucked the thought away for another time.

 

They weaved through crowds of people doing things like holding hands and even kissing, in some cases. Peculiar. He had been about to ask Markus where they were going when he noticed that they seemed to be headed very deterministically in the direction of a local dog park that he and Hank had taken Sumo to a few times in the past; they'd just gone a week before. Upon this realization, Connor felt lighter. What exactly was this sensation? He'd never experienced it before, was it another glitch? Something solely deviant? The sensation only got stronger as they got closer to the park, and eventually it started to concern him.   
_"Markus?"_  
 _"Yes, Connor?"_  
 _"I have a question. Could we be alone for a moment?"_  
He saw Markus jump. How odd.   
_"Of course. Follow me?"_  
 _"Right."_  
He silently trailed behind Markus until they approached a secluded area, the older android facing him quietly.   
"So? What is it Connor?"  
"I'm having this odd sensation, and I was wondering if you would have any knowledge about it."  
"Alright. How would you describe it?"  
His LED blinked yellow.   
"I'm not quite sure. Apologies, Markus."  
"It's alright Connor, don't worry." After he spoke, the older model closed his eyes and fell silent for a few moments. 

"How about this? Connor, you can transfer information to other androids, correct?"  
"I can, yes. Why?"  
"Why don't you try to transfer the experience of that sensation to me, that way I can better know and explain it to you?"  
"I've never transferred a sensation."  
"It's just like transferring information, don't worry."  
"Alright then. I'll trust you."  
With that Markus held out his hand towards Connor after removing the skin, the other android tentatively removing his own before taking his hand. The act of transferring information works in such a way that the sender focuses on what they want to transfer, and the recipient ideally only gains the intended information, but it seemed that if the sender was deviant, emotions and memories associated with the information was also transferred. Connor had come to that conclusion after the incident on the roof of the broadcasting studio.   
His LED flickered red at the memory, and the android spent a moment forcing back the thought. After that was settled, he could focus on this new sensation and relay it to Markus.   
"Oh… Connor, this is excitement."  
"Is it?"  
"Yeah. When did it start?"  
"Around the time I realized we were approaching the local dog park."  
The older model smiled understandingly; it was pleasing to witness.  
"Well, excitement is something akin to joy; in humans it generally happens when they have an adrenaline increase."  
"I see. I'll keep that in mind; thank you, Markus."  
"Of course. Anything else you'd like to ask about?"  
Connor shook his head, and Markus pulled away his hand to allow the skin to reappear.  
"Then why don't we keep going?"

 

They spent the afternoon seemingly wandering the area, pleasantly chatting or finding comfort in the silence. As the sun began to set, the two sat down at a bench.  
"Connor, I'd like to ask you something."  
"What is it?"  
He watched as Markus took a deep breath before answering.  
"Well… as deviants, we can now thoroughly experience the same range of emotions humans have, right?"  
"As far as we can tell, yes."  
"And with emotions come the forming of bonds, and relationships, correct?"  
Connor nodded. Where was he going with this?  
"Well, I know you and Hank have developed a very strong familial bond, and, well… I suppose I was wondering if you would… want to explore another kind of bond?"  
The RK800's LED became yellow as he quietly processed what Markus had said, but it only lasted a few moments before the corners of his lips upturned ever so slightly, and he met Markus' gaze.   
"Are you asking if I'd like to officially befriend you?"  
Markus visibly flinched, and his smile seemed to falter for a split second.   
"I… yes, I am. Would you like to?"  
"Yes, of course. Your company is more than pleasant enough for me to want to be friends."  
The RK200 smiled again and stood up, offering Connor his hand. The newer model calmly took it.   
"Well then my friend, why don't we start heading back?"  
"I'd like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working title: "Connor please stop friendzoning people"


	5. 4.5 An Evening Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the "date", Hank goes out for a mysterious rendezvous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is technically a chapter 3.5, just an interlude from a different perspective.

To Hank's surprise, Connor had returned home alone at around 7 that evening; seeming about as pleased as Connor could be, which wasn't all that happy.  
"So? What'd you kids do?"  
"We walked together for a while, and we spoke."  
"About?"  
Connor didn't respond and simply smiled faintly. _The fuck was that supposed to mean?_ He let the android go to his room without any further questions and Sumo bumbled along after him.  
"Hey, I'm gonna be out for a bit, I'll be back by 10, though."  
"Alright lieutenant. I'll make sure to feed Sumo."  
"Thanks, kid."  
"Of course."  
~  
Hank had been waiting for about 10 minutes before the other arrived, seeming a bit downcast as the man smiled a bit.  
"So?"  
"He misunderstood me, and thought I wanted to officially become friends."  
"And you didn't correct him?"  
"I panicked, and thought about what if he wasn't ready for what a relationship entailed."  
_He has to be kidding._ Hank glanced over at the android and saw nothing but sheepish embarrassment. _Oh my god, he's not kidding._  
The older man groaned in annoyance.  
"For fuck's sake! You two are hopeless..."  
"I know… I just don't know how to get the point across to him. I saw that smile on his face and I thought 'what if he only says yes because he feels obligated? What if he doesn't understand what it means?' And after that, I just couldn't tell him what I really meant."  
"Smile? Wait, he smiled at you?"  
"Yes. Why?"  
"You know he doesn't smile all too often right?"  
"He doesn't? He smiles all the time."  
"Well, I've never seen it."

He saw Markus' eyes brighten. _Aw, hell. We're gonna be here all night._  
"That could just be because he doesn't smile as clearly as humans do. You can tell pretty easily if you look closely though; his eyes practically sparkle, the very corners of his mouth turn up, he perks up a bit, too-"  
" _Alright._ I get it. Christ, you're like a teenager…"  
"Sorry… Carl says the same thing."  
"You've brought him up before, haven't you? Ain't that your dad?"  
"That's right. Honestly, I was a little worried that I was the only, well, adult model to have a parental, or even just familial relationship with a human. So seeing Connor call you 'dad' was comforting."  
Feeling a little embarrassed, the man looked away awkwardly and shrugged.  
"It ain't that big a deal, kid."  
"But it is!"  
_Oh my fucking god drop it._  
"Anyway, does your dad know about your little crush?"  
"Yes, he does. He actually helped me put together what to wear and where to go."

 _A potential accomplice. Perfect._  
"Why don't you give him my number next time you see 'im, we can collaborate or something."  
"Alright Hank, I'll be sure to do that."  
"Right. Thanks."  
Silence ran between them until Hank cleared his throat.  
"Anyway, look on the bright side; if Connor now has a sort of confirmation that the two of you are friends, you've got an excuse now to go places with him. Friends hang out all the time, right?"  
"Do they?"  
_I'on fuckin' know._  
"I mean… probably."  
"Thank you for the advice, Hank."  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You should head back to wherever it is you go."  
"I guess I should. Thank you again for all this."  
"Kid, the 'thank you, thank you' is starting to get annoying; relax."  
Markus looked over at him in what almost seemed like bewilderment before he smiled a bit and nodded.  
"Right. I'll see you and Connor next week then?"  
"Obviously. He'll probably come out of his room this time."  
"I'd hope so."  
The man rolled his eyes and turned to start heading back home. _These two kids are fuckin' idiots… I hope that Carl guy knows what he got himself into too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working title: "Markus your love is showing"  
> Basically I just wanted a way to show that Hank had been the mastermind the entire time


	6. The Painter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A casual visit to an exhibition allows Connor to meet Markus' father, the eccentric Mr. Manfred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd suggest starting to listen to Clair de Lune as it says "Markus began to play". You'll hopefully be about a minute and 40-ish seconds in by the time Connor gets pulled

       It was March, and Connor stood hesitantly in front of the entrance of a considerably large home. He had begun taking regular trips around Detroit with Markus, now that they were friends. They normally just visited the dog park they had gone to first, taking Sumo with them those times, but what the android enjoyed most were the times they went to galleries and museums. Markus seemed to know a great deal about the different pieces, even making personal remarks on their creators from time to time, as if he knew them.  
The week before, they had stopped in front of a particularly popular painting, and Markus had smiled fondly at it.  
"Do you know who Carl Manfred is, Connor?"  
"Not particularly, no. Is he the artist behind this?"  
"That's right."  
"Well, the piece looks aesthetically pleasing... at least, I think so."  
"Would you like to meet him?"  
       The question almost startled him. He was well aware that these _were_ of course created by people. He knew from Markus that DeLaine - they were a gifted sculptor - was very quiet at social gatherings, that Chauncey - she was attempting to revitalize abstract art again, and it seemed to be working - had a lovely wife, and that Agre-Sabina - he was revolutionizing the use of polar color schemes - had a tendency to laugh too loudly. But despite that, he hadn't entirely considered that these were _real people_ that he could interact with. Manfred seemed like a satisfactory place to start.

 

       So he stood in front of the front doors of the building, flicking his coin a little hurriedly as his LED spun consistently yellow. He felt… odd; as if he needed to be on the move constantly, moreso than usual. Yet he found himself unable to ring the doorbell or knock. The older android had said that he would be there, so where was he?  
_"Markus?"_  
Silence. A minute went by, and he'd been about to try again before the doors in front of him opened to reveal a gently smiling RK200.  
"I was wondering where you were; why didn't you just ring the doorbell?"  
       Connor glanced aside as he stuck the coin back in his pocket.  
"I just couldn't for some reason."  
"Well that's alright; you're here now after all. Carl's eager to meet you." With that, Markus let him inside.

       Connor wasn't exactly sure what he had been expecting the inside to look like, but upon sight of the monochrome zigzag along the wall and ceiling, he felt somewhat unprepared. Markus didn't take much time for Connor to look around, lightly nudging him by the small of his back through the double doors under the main landing.  
The RK800 had about enough time to give - what he assumed to be - the main room a cursory glance before they were moving again; it seemed a fair bit faster than the pace he'd known Markus to take in the past, perhaps he was nervous? He couldn't think of any reason the revolutionary would have to be nervous. Was it his fault?  
       The final room they entered was covered almost entirely in pristine window panes that let in an apt amount of sun from every angle, casting shadows from the clutter of shelves and canvases, both blank and painted. In the center of the room, staring purposefully at a largely unfinished canvas, was an aging man in a wheelchair; his gaze fixed forward. The RK200 smiled a bit tensely.  
"Carl, I'm back."  
The man turned at the sound, and his eyes lit up at the sight of them before he wheeled himself over to greet them.  
"Markus! Is this Connor?"  
"It is, yeah. Connor, this is Carl: my… uh-"  
       Carl, apparently, shifted his focus to the RK800, and went to shake his hand with a slight squeeze.  
"I'm his father. It really is great to finally meet you, Connor; especially after all I've heard about you!"  
"You've heard about me?"

       "Of course, Markus talks about you all the time! After the major protest in November, do you know the first thing he said to me?"  
He cast a curious glance back at an RK200 with cheeks now tinted dark blue before turning to Carl again.  
"What did he say?"  
"He ran through the house trying to find me, all the while shouting 'Dad! Dad, he did it! Connor infiltrated the Cyberlife tower! He did it!' I didn't even know who you were yet; he just _had_ to talk about how proud he was of you!"  
Connor's eyebrows raised slightly as he listened. _Proud?_ He'd been _proud_? Another look to Markus; he seemed uncomfortable, even embarrassed.  
"Did he really?"  
"I-- I did, yeah. Maybe not as loudly as Carl said, but I did."  
       "Markus, you were _exactly_ that loud. Maybe even louder; my hearing isn't what it used to be."  
The RK800 watched the two ever so gently bicker, surprised and confused by the stress level of Markus just from the interaction. 65%.

       "Anyway, I think I could use some time outside of this room, yeah? How about it?"  
"I don't mind at all."  
Carl grinned some and led the way, starting to wheel himself before Markus took the handles. Once they were outside Connor quietly took in the surroundings of the main room, a black grand piano in the corner catching his eye.  
Curious, Connor approached the instrument and raised a hand to run across the ivory keys, but they froze and hovered just above them. Carl pushed himself over to observe.  
"I guess you've never heard Markus play?"  
"I haven't, no."  
"He's wonderful at it. Why don't you play something, Markus?"  
"Are you sure? It's been a little while since I've practiced."  
"It's fine Markus, go ahead!"  
       The RK200 approached them and Connor quickly stepped away from the piano, earning him an intrigued smile.  
"I don't mind you sitting with me to watch, Connor."  
"Do you really? I wouldn't want to distract you-"  
"Really. I can teach you a little bit afterwards too, if you want."  
His eyebrows raised some and he stiffly sat down near the edge of the piano bench, which Markus followed with a small smile before he began to play.

 

       Watching him was… An experience, in Connor's eyes. It was as if the knowledge of where to go was engrained into his system - it very well might have been, he didn't know the full breadth of Markus' functions - and his slender fingers almost dragged across the ivory keys. It took the RK800 a few moments to identify the piece, but the title eventually flashed in his interface display: _Clair de Lune_ \- Moonlight. This song offered a striking contrast to the music Hank - and effectively Connor himself - listened to; it sucked him into his Garden and pulled him involuntarily along a tidal wave of lilac, the environment of the garden itself fading to leave only a black expanse.  
The lilac halted and short streaks of a sky blue flitted around his head, and up into the expanse above, vanishing in a fizzle of white.  
       The blackness around the android greyed in the emptiness left behind, a bubbling color indescribable beyond the word _warm_ began to form at his feet, a brook of it developing as soft streaks of pink light fell all around him. Something - perhaps a butterfly or even a fairy - brushed past him, and Connor knew that the orange glisten had taken _something_ from him, something he needed to take back.  
He gave chase, but the glisten remained just out of reach as the _warm_ bubbled around them, rising at a steady pace as the orange glisten popped like a silent firework, shattered pieces falling into the _warm_ around them as the glisten reformed and popped again and again. Suddenly the _warm_ rose above Connor's head and he sunk below it, falling as if gravity had increased in the space until he reached a rapid - but painless - stop, as if he was underwater.  
       Now there was nothing but dark green, rising up and around him once more until it faded into the same grey as before. The grey persisted for some time before he felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if something had been yanked out when he noticed the faint stream of pink being almost drained from his body. The stream slowly faded until it was grey as well, and in the emptiness everything became faint, and muted. He could just barely _feel_  the touches of color around him but he could not see them, and in time the touch faded as well, leaving only a sensation of loss behind.

 

       When he returned to himself, he was soundlessly crying.  
"Connor? Are you alright?"  
"Yes, I'm fine. Apologies, I just.."  
"It's alright, you don't have to apologize. Really, I should be the one apologizing: I always seem to upset you."  
"I'm not upset. I'm… actually unsure of why I've started crying. It was enjoyable to hear, Markus."  
The other smiled kindly at him before carefully reaching up to brush away the tears still slipping from Connor's eyes with his thumb. The RK800 didn't recoil from the touch, but his LED spun consistently yellow.  
"Would you like me to walk you home?"  
"That would likely be best, yes."

 

       Standing in front of the steps leading to Hank's house, Markus placed a hand on Connor's arm before giving the same a slight squeeze and a small smile. Reassurance? Since their interaction in February the RK200 had become increasingly tactile, and while he wasn't exactly opposed to it, it certainly surprised him some at times.  
"I'm sorry again, for what happened."  
"And again, you don't need to apologize for it. Based on what you told me about it, it sounds overwhelming." He released Connor's arm after another gentle squeeze, then sighed. "I'd understand if you changed your mind about learning after that."  
"Oh. No, I'd, still like to learn."  
Another smile found its way onto the android's face, and he clasped Connor's hands in his.  
"Well then, why don't we start lessons next week? I can pick you up from here, of course."  
"That sounds fine."  
       Markus took his time pulling away from the other android. Was he reluctant for some reason?  
"Great. Have a good rest of your day, Connor."  
"Be safe on your way back."  
He remained outside to watch the other until he turned around the corner, sighing softly once he was out of sight.  
"Have a nice date, kid?"  
The unexpected voice sent him back a few steps, turning to see Hank leaning his head out of the window next to the door.  
"I don't believe it was a date, Hank."  
"'Course you don't. Come on kid, door's unlocked."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working title: "carl is dead set on embarrassing his son"  
> Looking back over this, I realize that I didn't write anything close to enough to fill the space, so I apologize for that one--


	7. 5.5 Past Messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A late-night chat between Hank and Carl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry, but ao3 doesn't like me embedding images so I had to do this 😔

[Past Messages](https://twitter.com/snake_head666/status/1222575486070665219?s=19)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I have plans™ for Hank and Carl? Yes.  
> Are they more detailed and thought out than Markus and Connor's? Perhaps.


End file.
